History Facts and Trivia from the 20th Century

History Facts and Trivia from the 20th Century While texting is relatively new, some of the abbreviations we use for it are much older than we might think. For instance, the abbreviation OMG for Oh My God! dates back to as early as 1917. The earliest reference found is in a letter dated September 9, 1917, from Lord John Arbuthnot Fisher to Winston Churchill. In the last line of Lord Fishers short letter about newspaper headlines that were upsetting him, Lord Fisher wrote: I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis O.M.G. (Oh! My God!) Shower it on the Admiralty!! John Steinbeck and Pigasus Author John Steinbeck, best known for his epic novel The Grapes of Wrath, used to often add a symbol next to his name when signing things. This symbol was a pig with wings, whom Steinbeck called Pigasus. The flying pig was a reminder that although earthbound, it was good to aspire to something higher. Sometimes Steinbeck would add in Latin, Ad Astra Per Alia Porci (to the stars on the wings of a pig). Practice Suicide Runs On November 18, 1978, Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple cult, ordered all his followers living in his Jonestown compound to drink poisoned grape-flavored punch in order to commit mass suicide. On that day, 912 people (including 276 children) died in what has become known as the Jonestown Massacre. How could one person convince over 900 others to commit suicide? Well, Jim Jones had been planning to carry out this revolutionary act of mass suicide for quite some time. To ensure full compliance, Jones had staged practice runs, called White Nights, in which he would order everyone to drink what he told them was poisoned punch. After everyone had stood around for about 45 minutes or so, he would then tell them that this had been a loyalty test. The Dots in Pac-Man When the Pac-Man video game was released in 1980, it quickly became an international sensation. As kids and adults alike moved the pie-shaped Pac-Man character around the screen, they tried to eat up lots of dots without themselves getting eaten by ghosts. But how many dots were they trying to eat? It turns out that each level of Pac-Man had the exact same number of dots 240. Lincoln Logs Created by Frank Lloyd Wrights Son Lincoln Logs is a classic childrens toy that has been played by millions of children for decades. The toy usually comes in a box or cylinder and includes both brown logs and green slats for roofs, which children use to build their own frontier house or fort. Despite playing with Lincoln Logs for hours and hours as a child, you might not know that they were created by John Lloyd Wright, the son of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and were first sold by Red Square Toy Company in 1918. It would be easy to assume that Wright got the idea for Lincoln Logs by visiting an old log cabin, but that is not the case. Wright was in Japan helping his father build the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo when the idea for interlocking pieces struck him. It would also be easy to assume that the name Lincoln Logs refers to U.S. President Abraham Lincolns log cabin, but that too is not the case. The name Lincoln actually refers to the discarded original middle name of Johns father, Frank Lloyd Wright (he was born Frank Lincoln Wright). Lenin Was a Pseudonym Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilich Lenin, also commonly called V.I. Lenin or just plain Lenin was actually not born with that name. Lenin was born as Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov and didnt begin using the pseudonym of Lenin until the age of 31. Up until that age, Lenin, still known as Ulyanov, had used his birth name for both his legal and illegal activities. However, having just returned from a three-year exile in Siberia, Ulyanov found it useful to begin writing under a different name in 1901 in order to continue his revolutionary work. Brad Pitt and the Iceman What do Brad Pitt and the Iceman have in common? Tattoos. Although the 5,300-year-old mummified remains of the Iceman, known as Otzi, was found with over 50 tattoos on his body, most of them were simple lines. Brad Pitt, on the other hand, had an outline of the Icemans body tattooed onto his left forearm in 2007. Juan Perons Hands While serving his third, non-consecutive term as President of Argentina, Juan Peron died on July 1, 1974, at age 78. His rule had been controversial, with many adoring him and others reviling him. After his death, his body was injected with formaldehyde and interred at La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires. In 1987, grave robbers opened up Perons coffin, cut off his hands and stole them, along with his sword and cap. The robbers then sent a ransom letter asking for $8 million to return the hands. Once the desecration was discovered, Perons body was sealed behind a bulletproof plate and 12 heavy-duty locks. On October 17, 2006, Perons body was moved to a mausoleum at Perons country home in San Vicente, just outside of Buenos Aires. The grave robbers have never been found. Catch-18 Joseph Hellers famous novel, Catch-22, was first published in 1961. Set in World War II, the book is a comic satirical novel about bureaucracy. The phrase Catch 22 in the novel is used to denote the vicious circle of military bureaucracy. The term Catch 22 has made it into mainstream usage to mean any two choices that are mutually dependent (for example, which came first: the chicken or the egg?). However, the term we now know as Catch 22 was almost Catch 18 for Heller had originally chosen Catch-18 as the title of the book. Unfortunately for Heller, Leon Uris published his Mila 18 novel just before Hellers book was to be published. Hellers publisher didnt think it would be good to have two books out at the same time with 18 in the title. Attempting to come up with another name, Heller and his publisher considered Catch-11, Catch-17, and Catch-14 before deciding on the title we all know, Catch-22. Insulin Discovered in 1922 Medical researcher Frederick Banting and research assistant Charles Best studied the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas of dogs at the University of Toronto. Banting believed that he could find a cure for the sugar disease (diabetes) in the pancreas. In 1921, they isolated insulin and successfully tested in on diabetic dogs, lowering the dogs blood sugar level. Researcher John Macleod and chemist James Collip then began to help prepare insulin for human use. On January 11, 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy who was dying of diabetes, was given the first human experimental dose of insulin. The insulin saved his life. In 1923, Banting and Macleod were awarded the Nobel Prize for their work on discovering insulin. What was once a death sentence, people now diagnosed with diabetes can live long lives thanks to the work of these men. Why Is Roosevelt on the Dime? In 1921, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with a bout of polio that left him partially paralyzed, there were no organizations to lend support. Although Roosevelt had the money for the very best treatments for himself, he realized that there were thousands of others who did not. Also, at the time, there was no known cure for polio. In 1938, President Roosevelt helped establish the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (which later became known as the March of Dimes). This foundation was created to help care for polio patients and to help fund research to find a cure. Funding from the March of Dimes helped Jonas Salk discover a vaccine for polio. Soon after President Franklin D. Roosevelts death in 1945, the public started sending letters to the United States Treasury Department requesting that Roosevelts portrait be placed on a coin. The dime seemed the most appropriate coin because of Roosevelts ties to the March of Dimes. The new dime was released to the public on Roosevelts birthday, January 30, 1946. The Nickname Tin Lizzie Priced so that the average American could afford it, Henry Ford sold his Model T from 1908 until 1927. Many also may know the Model T by its nickname, the Tin Lizzie. But how did the Model T get its nickname? In the early 1900s, car dealers would try to create publicity for their new automobiles by hosting car races. In 1922, a championship race was held in Pikes Peak, Colorado. Entered as one of the contestants was Noel Bullock and his Model T, named Old Liz. Since Old Liz looked the worse for wear (it was unpainted and lacked a hood), many spectators compared Old Liz to a tin can. By the start of the race, the car had the new nickname of Tin Lizzie. To everyones surprise, Tin Lizzie won the race. Having beaten even the most expensive other cars available at the time, Tin Lizzie proved both the durability and speed of the Model T. The surprise win of Tin Lizzie was reported in newspapers across the country, leading to the use of the nickname Tin Lizzie for all Model T cars. Hoover Flags When the U.S. stock market crashed in 1929, President Herbert Hoover attempted to stop the U.S. economy from spiraling into what has become known as the Great Depression. Although President Hoover took action, most people agree that it just wasnt enough. Upset at Hoover, people began to give items that represented the economic crisis negative nicknames. For instance, shanty towns became known as Hoovervilles. Hoover blankets were newspapers that homeless people used to protect themselves from the cold. Hoover flags were pants pockets that had been turned inside out, symbolizing a lack of money. Hoover wagons were old cars pulled by horses since their owners could no longer pay for gas. The First Dot Com Surrounded by dot extensions, have you ever stopped to wonder what website was the very first to be a dot-com? That honor was claimed on March 15, 1985, when Symbolics.com registered their domain name. Tug-of-War Since tug-of-war has been a game played by adults for centuries, it became an official event at the second modern Olympic Games in 1900. However, its time as an official Olympic event was short-lived and it was last played at the Olympics at the 1920 Games. Tug-of-war was not the only event to be added and then later removed from the Olympic Games; golf, lacrosse, rugby, and polo also shared its fate. The First Star on the Walk of Fame On February 9, 1960, the very first star was awarded to actress Joanne Woodward. Within a year and half, over 1,500 of the stars were filled with names. Currently, over 2,300 of the stars have been awarded and two new stars are awarded each month. Barbies Full Name (co-founder of Mattel) after she realized that her daughter liked to play with paper dolls that resembled grown-ups. Handler suggested making a three-dimensional doll that looked like an adult rather than a child. The doll was named after Handlers daughter, Barbara, and is still produced by Mattel. The dolls full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

Bill Clinton's Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bill Clinton's Speech - Essay Example Within hours of this confessional breakfast, the internet was a flurry of activity. The news of the speech, and the opinions of this president by millions around the world was spread, and the net seemed to close on William Jefferson Clinton. In a 445-page document, all posted on the internet, Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel, had found Bill Clinton liable to impeachment on eleven counts involving perjury, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and abuse of authority. This indictment was supported by an agonizing and scandalous telling of details. In the Paula Jones case, Clinton had denied, under oath, ever having had sexual relations with "that woman, Miss Lewinsky". Therefore, Mr. Starr has provided a lurid and sometimes funny account of Bill Clinton's "sexual encounters" with Monica Lewinsky, a 21-year-old intern at the White House. This section of the report revealed Clinton "as a middle-aged urchin, dangerously vulnerable, lacking judgment, self-control and integrity. Public attention worldwide has naturally centered on this section of the Starr Report." (Ahmad) The response to the President's speech, varied among the many religious communities of the United States. Several who were present told reporters later that they had been deeply moved by the president's speech Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, general secretary of the US National Council of Churches, the largest ecumenical organization in the country, described the temper of the audience as "deeply spiritual". She believed Clinton to be penitent. She also told reporters that even so she wasn't sure if the United States was "prepared to be led by a repentant sinner." (Herlinger) A well-known African American clergyman, James Forbes, senior minister of New York City's Riverside Church, said in a television interview following the address that "it felt like a real holy moment. There was not a single false note. Here is a man who has been anointed by grace and awaits restoration," said Forbes. (Herlinger) Clinton emphatically denied doing anything wrong, following the accusations that surfaced in early 1998. He clearly stated he had no "sexual contact" with a young White House intern. These accusations were made in the course of a civil lawsuit against then President Clinton, in an alleged act of sexual harassment occurring while he was governor of Arkansas. Clinton was accused of lying to a grand jury about his sexual relations with Monica Lewinsky, the young intern. Having been caught in a series of lies about his personal affairs demanded a public response. That response took the shape of the "I have sinned" speech, delivered September 11, 1998, and one other delivered August 17, 1998. The September speech can be considered effective because it shifted the public focus in such a way that Clinton's character appealed to his audience. (Harris) Considering the two speeches to be Clinton's apologia to the American public several constants can be identified that contributed to the effectiveness, particularly the September speech. 1) Ethical appeals precede logical appeals; 2) Offensive remarks follow defensive remarks; 3) Most evidence appears in the middle third apologia; and 4) The argument resembles previously used arguments. A fifth constant more recently added to this list is an apologia ends with an appeal to

Human Genetics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Genetics - Essay Example This would make both of his parents Dd genetypes. Bob's sister could either not have the disease at all, DD, or be a carrier, Dd. If she was a carrier she then poses the chance of passing the disease on through child birth. Her father was unaffected, which means he must have been DD, which would make his mother probably Dd, so the chances are equal of Bob's sister being either DD, or Dd, with a fifty percent chance of being either of the genotypes. Both DNA and RNA are made up of different tiny particles of information, often referred to as nucleotides. The nucleotides of Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine all make up DNA. In RNA however, Thymine is displaced and Uracil takes its place. It is these four proteins which help make up the coding and information of our bodies. Various proteins can then used these nucleotides, and based on the order they are in, read the information stored there. For example, the order of these nucleotides varies from species to species, and is always different for members of one species to members of another species. The DNA is copied into RNA, which is almost identical to the original coding of the DNA. through the process of transcription the DNA is copied into RNA, which retains almost all of the original information that was held in the DNA. These RNA genes are often composed of both exons and introns. However, only the exons are required for the process of protein synthesis. RNA is then divided into only the parts necessary for coding, the extrons. This leaves us with mRNA. It is then this mRNA that helped guide the process or protein synthesis, or also called translation. The information has all been passed down the chain, leaving mRNA holding all the necessary information for the process and coding for protein synthesis to take place. This process helps shape and build the proteins needed for bodily functions. It is these proteins which help code for different traits and features in humans, be it hair color or eye color, or numerous other traits passed on this way. (http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD020757.html) 2. As with any scientific procedure, deciding if you wanted to be tested has both its positives and its negatives. If his father had the disease, it is possible he to will develop the disease. If he is tested he would find out weather or not he actually would develop it. Some people would rather not know this kind of information, and would not like to know if they had a disease that would kill them. Other people, would like to know so they would be ready, and also could help them make decisions about having kids. If it turns out he has the disease, he may decided to not have children as to not risk passing it on. It is a hard moral decision, and has positives and negatives on both sides of the argument. If he wants to know that he might die earlier than expected, but hoped to help his children, he may want to get tested. If he wishes not to know however, it may be better he doesn't get

History of Refugee Integration in the UK

History of Refugee Integration in the UK Is it accurate to say that the UK has a proud history of providing sanctuary for genuine refugees? In 1951, the United Nations passed the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (known as the Refugee Convention). The aim of this was to protect persons, in the wake of the Second World War, being returned to states and nations where they would suffer persecution. It was the first codification of a practice which is in fact centuries old; that of developed countries offering protection and sanctuary to individuals who suffer such persecution. Since its inception and ratification, the Refugee Convention has been viewed variously as a positive advance, and increasingly in recent years, as a hindrance to the United Kingdom’s policies of migration control. Although no country has ever withdrawn from the Convention, this option has been suggested in Britain as a possible solution to the perceived problems relating to immigration which the UK faces. How is it, then, that a country that prides itself on its history of providing sanctuary and protection to refugees, can be contemplating such a withdrawal from the codification of immigrant policy? The truth is that the belief of the United Kingdom’s relationship with immigrants is somewhat less appealing than the ‘proud history’ of public perception suggests. Nor is this proud history the only myth relating to the UK’s relationship with immigration. It is similarly untrue to state that the UK is an immigration honey pot. The UK is certainly an attractive place for genuine refugees from persecution to approach. Official figures and patterns, however, suggest that the reality is somewhat different and that the scare-mongering and rabble-rousing employed by anti-immigrationists is somewhat misplaced. What, then, is a refugee? It is interesting that while persons and populations fleeing their homelands to escape persecution and suffering is as old as any civilisation, the term ‘refugee’ is itself a relatively modern and highly specific term. One tends to think of ‘refugees’ as any in-migrant to, in this case, the British Isles, whether they be fleeing political or economic persecution, or indeed, in some cases, whether they are simply seeking a better life in a new country. The modern, accepted definition of a refugee is to be found in Article 1 of the Refugee Convention, which describes a refugee as any person who has been considered a refugee under various other agreements, but more specifically, to a person who as a result of events occurring before 1 January 1951 and owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events is unable or, owing to such fears, is unwilling to return to it.[1] There follows various provisions for a person so described ceasing to be classed as a refugee, for example where that person has re-availed himself of the protection of the country of his nationality. Having defined broadly what the statutory definition of a refugee is, the next question which ought to be considered is why such a person would wish to come to the UK? As shall be discussed, the UK has not always had such a proud history of offering sanctuary to refugees. This does not, however, detract from the fact that in the post-Second World War years, but even in eras prior to that, the UK has been seen as a very welcoming and attractive prospect for refugees. Compared to certain Western countries, both within Europe and also in the wider economically developed ‘West’ (Australia providing the most stark example), Britain’s policies (and policies should be distinguished from actual practice and results here) have been relatively relaxed. The exact nature of these policies will be examined. Aside from these, the attractions of the United Kingdom to refugees are that the Isles offer political and religious freedom and liberty. The fact that the Church of Englan d is part of the Establishment, this is less and less important in an increasingly secularised state, and anyway unimportant because of the primacy accorded to religious tolerance. Within the UK, refugees will suffer no systematic and State-sponsored persecution as they might elsewhere. As will become apparent, however, this certainly does not mean that refugees granted sanctuary within the UK are guaranteed freedom from such persecution at the hands of the grass-roots population. There is, then, an important distinction to be remembered when considering the history of Britain as a provider of sanctuary to refugees. This distinction is between the official State attitude to immigration and sanctuary, most recognisably apparent, of course, in legislation, and the attitudes of the population, all-too-often categorised by prejudices and narrow-mindedness, and manifested in attacks and effectively persecution of such refugees. The first significant period of modern British history in which refugees became significant is that covering the years, roughly, from 1880 until the inception of the Refugee Convention in 1951. During this period, which witnessed the two largest sudden occurrences of mass-population movement occasioned by the two World Wars, Britain found herself facing a new problem, sensitive and difficult both in humanitarian terms, and also political feasibility. The first major piece of British legislation which considered the issue of refugees was the Aliens Act 1905. Prior to this, there had been a series of Acts which sought to impose some sort of system of regulation of arriving aliens. Mostly, these required masters of in-bound ships to make reports of foreign aliens that they were carrying, and obliged all in-coming aliens to report to the Secretary of State upon arrival. The 1905 Act, however, introduced the first system of comprehensive registration and immigration control. The Act place d control of such matters firmly with the Home Secretary. The most striking aspect of this new legislation was that it offered, for the first time, the Home Secretary the power to deport aliens whom he believed to be either criminals or paupers. The first category is understandable and, but 21st century standards even acceptable; the second is not. The second major piece of legislation followed in 1914, with the Aliens Registration Act. This had more tangible effects on the accuracy of information relating to immigrants, as it made it compulsory for all immigrants over the age of 16 to register with the police. The immigrants were required to give detailed information to the police of their names, addresses, occupations and race. If any such particulars changed, immigrants were required to register such changes. There was also a registration fee. Although the legislation looks to be relatively favourable to immigrants, the reality was somewhat different. This was largely due to the fact that the Aliens Act was weakly enforced. As Winder states, it soon became obvious that the scheme was ‘clumsy and unworkable’.[2] This, then, was the legislation that was in place when the Great War broke out. The effect of the war on immigration was to bring about a massive influx of refugees from Russia and Belgium who sought sanctuary from persecution. A disproportionate number of these immigrants, particularly from Russia, were Jews. The influx led to an anti-alien backlash amongst the British population, however, although this was not indiscriminate. The unfortunate Germans did, of course, bear the brunt of this, but these were rarely ‘refugees’ as we understand the term today. The fortunes of the Russian Jews, for example, was different, on occasion, from that of the Belgians. Jews had been banished from Moscow in1890, and their migration was therefore enforced. They provided an example of a genuine refugee, and sought to enter Britain as an alternative to their former place of residence. It is estimated that between 1881 and 1914, the number of Jews arriving as 150,000.[3] Although Britain had set up the Board of Guardians for the Relief of the Jewish Poor, the backlash was encouraged by the ever-increasing number of Jewish arrivals. This is perhaps an early example of the disparity between what can be seen as state charity and willingness to accommodate, and the uglier grass-roots antipathy to the effects of such policy. ‘In Britain, the newly arrive Jews were the chief victims of the anti-immigration lobby.’[4] Anti-Jewish feeling is what characterised the first half of the twentieth century, and this did not simply improve as the spectre of Nazi-ascendancy loomed. If anything, it became more institutionalised. In a report from the police of 1939 relating to the immigration of Jewish refugees, Jennifer Williams wrote that ‘it may be remarked in passing however that the tone of their [the police’s] report is predominantly anti-Jewish.’[5] Indeed the UK as a whole was slow to respond to the persecution of the Jews in its immigration policy, providing perhaps the worst example of how the UK has failed in its treatment of genuine refugees. The most striking example of this occurred in response to the Anschuss; Hitler’s annexation of Austria in March 1938. Britain was not alone, but her response was far from commendable. Along with other countries of first refuge, Britain’s Jewish refugee organisation was quick to exclude future entrants and asserted its right t o select who it would support.[6] In an example of state as opposed to grass-roots policy toward refugees, the British government ‘moved rapidly to re-introduce a visa requirement to stem the influx of refugee Jews.’[7] Any discussion of Britain’s ‘proud history’ of providing sanctuary to genuine refugees must acknowledge that in the European Jews’ most desperate time of need, the UK, both at government and at grass-roots level, took active measures to prevent immigration of the needy. The second significant period in a discussion of the relationship of Britain with refugees is that from the inception of the Refugee Convention in 1951 through till the late 1960; a period that witnessed an increasing dissipation of the British Empire. It was this phenomenon, rather than the enforcement of the Refugee Convention, that led to this period being seen as ‘good’ period for refugees in Britain. Two significant Acts of Parliament in this period were the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts of 1962 and 1968. These characterised not only the attitudes of the state towards refugees, but also what could be, and has been, seen as an attempt to use the influx of immigrants to Britain in the post-war years as an advertisement for Britain’s generous policies towards refugees. It is here that another important distinction must be remembered; that between immigrants and ‘refugees’ as defined in the 1951 Convention. During the period from the end of the War till the Act, the overwhelming majority of immigrants to the UK were not classed as refugees. They came, rather, from Commonwealth and former Empire countries. As such, they enjoyed relatively easy access to Britain and the influx of, for example, West Africans, has been well documented. In little more than a decade, it has been estimated that more than 300,000 immigrants arrived.[8] This was accompanied by an increase amongst the population of violence towards such communities (the immigrants, of course, tending to congregate together in geographical locations). The immigrants themselves were not wholly without blame, and reports abounded of violence and crime orchestrated by the immigrants themselves. It was the response of the domestic British population, however, that was most problematic . The Government’s response was a new work-permit scheme which, as Winder points out, had been carefully devised so as to ‘exclude coloured workers without discriminating against them too explicitly.’[9] The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 was an example of the Government bowing to public pressure to take action, and as Rab Butler commented, it was a ‘sad necessity’. It was in this period after the Refugee Convention that the distinction became significant between refugee as defined in the Convention and simple asylum seekers. The former were required to demonstrate that they had a ‘well-founded fear’ of persecution at home. Political asylum applied, technically, to those who were evading arrest in another country on account of their political beliefs and where they could not expect a fair trial in that country. Subsequently, the distinction would become blurred and problematic, but in this period it was still a significant distinction, largely because of the provisions of the Refugee Convention and the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts. The 1962 Act required all Commonwealth citizens seeking employment in the United Kingdom to qualify for an employment voucher. Those without a British passport were also required to hold a work permit, which were not that easy to come by. The 1968 Act further tightened measures relating to immigrants. Und er this Act, potential immigrants had to prove that either they, their parents or grandparents had been born in the UK. The effect of this is obvious; for many, indeed most, this is an impossible requirement, and the Acts reflect the growing antipathy towards large scale immigration while at the same time, advertising Britain as a country that looked after and welcomed refugees and other immigrants. The final definable period is that from around the late 1960s until the present day, a period which has seen the number of refugees entering or seeking to enter Britain increase dramatically. The period has been characterised, again, by lenient and welcoming policies on the one hand, contrasted with stricter and prohibitive visa requirements and stricter interpretation of the Refugee Convention. The first occurrence in this trend was the legislation of 1971. The Immigration Act of that year rationalised the prior legislation relating to immigrants by dispensing with the existing distinction between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth entrants. One of the growing problems in this period related to race relations between the British indigenous population and the immigrant communities. The Race Relations Act 1965 had made racial discrimination illegal, but this did not stem the growing hostility between British people and their new neighbours. Much of this hostility was based upon scare-mongering by various elements within the British landscape both at grass-roots level and indeed in high politics. Refugees were to suffer as much as everyone else under such hostilities. It was estimated officially in the House of Commons in 1967 that the non-white population of Britain would reach 3.5 million as soon as 1985. This turned out not to be the case, as the first census to show a non-white population in 1991 recorded the number to be less than 3 million.[10] Such ‘estimates’ and figures were used by many both in government and the press to lobby for tighter controls and a stricter policy. There was, in this period, an increasing, and false, supposition that the number of immigrants (including refugees) would start to burden the welfare state unduly. This, of course, provided one of the biggest draws to all potential migrants to the UK; particularly, perhaps, to refugees. As Clarke points out, the post-war generation of immigrants would make demands on child welfare services and schools, they would make little demand on old aged pensions and geriatric care. Furthermore, the misconception about the overall scale and effect of immigration was based upon the fact that immigrant populations tended to be so concentrated in particular areas.[11] It was, then, against this backdrop of increasing public scepticism and hostility, that successive British governments in the 1970s and 1980s had to balance the increasing toll of despotic regimes causing higher numbers of refugees, and the capacity of the state to accommodate them. Unfortunately, the balance seems to have tilted away from the refugees as the British interpretation of the Convention has tightened. It is worth noting that the Refugee Convention has never been incorporated into British law, and the British Government is therefore under no obligation to observe it. It was not until the Immigration Appeals Act 1993 that the government was even obliged to consider it. Under this Act, nothing in British immigration rules and practice should contravene the Convention. The process of application for asylum is protracted and uncertain. There are now strict requirements and high levels of evidence to establish that one is a genuine refugee. An example of this is the need to pr ove that one is the member of a particular social group. How does one prove this? Another example of the British governments’ hardening attitudes towards immigrants is that those travelling to Britain through a third country are obliged to seek asylum there. This is, perhaps, a fair request, but it hardly reflects the policy of a country happy and willing to accommodate genuine refugees. The period since the 1880s has, then, seen a fluctuating level of concern for refugees seeking sanctuary within the UK. It cannot be said that Britain has a wholly proud history of accommodating genuine refugees, although her policies have tended to be slightly more lenient than her European and other Western neighbours’ (those seeking citizenship of the US must take a Constitutional exam to demonstrate their commitment to the country). It would be unfair to characterise successive British governments as being unaccommodating to genuine refugees, and there have been measures put in place genuinely aimed at helping such immigrants. Much of the suffering that immigrants have undergone has occurred once they have been granted sanctuary, at the hands of the indigenous population (both at grass-roots level and in the political arena), who have often been afraid of the potential draining effect of the nation’s resources of such incoming populations, and who often forget the s ignificant economic input such immigrants actually make. On balance, it would seem that it is inaccurate to say that Britain has a ‘proud history’ of granting asylum to genuine refugees. BIBLIOGRAPHY Statute Aliens Act 1905 Aliens Registration Act 1914 Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 Immigration Act 1971 Immigration Appeals Act 1993 Race Relations Act 1965 Secondary sources Brook, C. (Ed), The Caribbean in Europe (London, 1986) Clarke, P., Hope and Glory (Penguin, 1996) Halsey, A.H. (Ed), Trends in British Society Since 1900 (1972) Lawrence, D., Black Migrants, White Natives (Cambridge, 1974) Layton-Henry, Z., The Politics of Immigration (Blackwell, 1992) London, L., Whitehall and the Jews (Cambridge, 1999) Nairn, T., The Break-up of Britain (London, 1981) Winder, R., Bloody Foreigners, the story of immigration to Britain (London, 2004) Footnotes [1] Article 1(2) of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, 28 July 1951 [2] Winder, R., Bloody Foreigners, the story of immigration to Britain (London, 2004), p202 [3] Winder, p178 [4] Winder, p195 [5] J. Willians, Memorandum, 3 August 1939, quoted in London, L., Whitehall and the Jews (Cambridge, 1999), p278 [6] London, p58 [7] Ibid [8] Winder, p283 [9] Ibid [10] Clarke, P., Hope and Glory (Penguin, 1996), p326 [11] Ibid

Zulu Traditional Dance

Zulu means the people of heaven, which is a friendly and hospitable culture. They have an expressive language punctuated with distinctive click sounds. The Zulu people are proud of their nation and treasure their heritage. During the 16th and 17th centuries, they had a powerful king named Shaka Zulu. He helped expand the Zulu tribe territory and claimed that he was king of all Africa. Many cultures in Africa today still have traditions that were influenced by the Zulu people even after their downfall. One of the most noticeable rituals that most cultures in eastern and southern Africa have in common is the Zulu dance. Dancing and singing is a big part of the Zulu people lifestyle, â€Å"Each dance or movement symbolizes an event that is happening within a clan†. Dancing is one of the most important types of community rituals and it is included in most Zulu ceremonies. The Zulu dance is a sign of happiness, and it occurs at significant events like childbirth, weddings and war victories. As in most cultures, â€Å"dances serve the purposes of rite of passage or bonding, or matchmaking in a supervised environment†. Their traditional dances celebrate important community events. The dances are taught to young boys and girls at an early age. Through dance, the Zulu people tell the â€Å"journey of their clan bridging generational gaps to a unique form of story telling†. Zulu dance involves high stepping and stomping the ground in rhythm. Dancers hold weapons and shields with their hands often raised high. Some times the dancers kick over their head and fall to the ground in a â€Å"crouch† position. In Zulu dances, ankle rattles, shields, headdresses and belts are used as props and to â€Å"differentiate social class and societal roles. Traditional Zulu dance dress code is animal skin for men and skirts decorated with hardwood beads for women. The children don’t cover their thighs but adults are expected to. Both male and females â€Å"wear limited clothing which consists predominately of cowhide and bare chest, adorned with garlands of beads†. Unmarried women dance bare- breasted and don’t have red beads in their skirts because that color is reserved for married women. Everything worn in the Zulu traditional dance has a symbolic meaning; the colors of the beads and their arrangement dictate the language of the dance. Different types of beads are worn to send a message to the opposite sex during the courtship dance. There are five main dance types that most cultures in Africa perform. The welcome dance is to show the guests how talented the villagers are, and to show the visitors that they are happy to receive them. Celebration or love dance is performed certain festivals like weddings and anniversaries. The coming of age dance is to celebrate the coming of age of young men and women, many tribes follow and celebrate this festival. The dancers perform in front of tribal members which gives them immense pride and confidence. Last but not least are the warrior dances, the warrior dance â€Å"movements are fusions of warfare movements such as stabbing with the artistic movement of the body according to the drum beat. Summoning and possession dances are the most common folk dances in Africa because they are very important in many religions. This dance is performed in almost all tribes for calling a spirit. The Zulu culture practices these different dance styles even though it has different names fo r them. When Shaka Zulu was king, he began the reed dance as a symbol of unity with his people. During September, Zulu girls congregate at the royal palace before the king for the traditional reed dance to celebrate virginal purity. In order for a girl to part in this dance, they have to be virgins between the ages of 16 to 20. It is called the reed dance because the girls pick reeds from the river and bring them to the palace for the king. During this dance most kings chose their wives. The purpose of the reed dance is to â€Å"allow Zulu maidens to meet their king and mingle with princesses while delivering reed sticks†. The reed dance is said to promote marriage, loyalty and chastity. Today it is still practiced in effort to stop the spread of Aids. Ingoma is another type of dance of the Zulu tribe. It is performed by boys and girls accompanied with people chanting without drums in the background. The girls are bare-chested and wear woollen skirts; they also wear seed pod rattles around their ankles to allow their high kicks. In the Ingoma dance, the boys and girls dance separately are helped by another group that claps for rhythm. This dance is performed for ceremonies such as coming of age, weddings and before going hunting. Indlamu dance is â€Å"derived from the war dances of the warriors†. It is danced before battle and after winning a war. It is performed by men of all ages wearing full traditional attire like head-rings, ceremonial belts, ankle rattles, shields and spears. Drums and people whistling accompany the dancers when performing the Indlamu. Dancers form a â€Å"mock combat, showing off their strength and mastery of weapons†. One of the movements done in the Indlamu dance is fighting imaginary enemies with spears and swords, their facial expressions make the dance feel real. The dancers lift one leg in the air, bringing it down and switching it with the other one, after a certain amount of leg lifts the dancers purposely fall to the ground on their back. Dancers are more likely to make eye contact with the audience during the Indlamu dance. Imvunulo is a parade to show off the traditional attire of Zulu men and women. It is danced by one participant at a time indicating ones role in the society. The dress code is determined by age and gender; young girls don’t cover their thighs while adults do. Men wear cotton shorts called the â€Å"amabeshu† while women wear leather skirts and beaded aprons. A leather skirt worn by woman sends a message to the opposite sex that she desires to become pregnant. Colors in the beaded aprons also help indicate where the dancer comes from. This dance would fall in the welcome dance category under the African dance types. Last is the Isicathamiya dance, â€Å"it is danced by men and boys in a line or an arc†. This dance is accompanied with a lead singer that sings about modern issues but â€Å"uses ancient melodies†. The lead singer provides rhythm for the dancers. This dance is also danced at weddings, and it is internationally known. Families of the bride and groom take turns to â€Å"out do each other in the beautiful dancing and songs†. Dancing is very important in the Zulu clan because â€Å"Zulu history survives through dance in similar fashion as cultures built on oral tradition†. Dance ceremonies bring the community together as everybody takes responsibility to for training others especially the young ones. Many Zulu dances today deal with social issues like Aids, crime and migrant labour work. This helps to â€Å"promote global sensitivity and social awareness† in South Africa. In Zulu land, the dances are usually performed by males and involve a high level of athletism. Zulu dances help the people to praise, criticize and even work with each other.

An Unbiased Perspective on For or Against Essay Topics

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Essay about Women and Buddhism - 618 Words

Women and Buddhism As a religion, Buddhism has a great impact on women, especially Asian women. Theravadan Buddhism, which is the early stage of Buddhism, depreciates women by a theory called â€Å"Five Blocks†. However, Buddhism started to affect women in a positive way when Buddha raised several doctrines and explained the theory in a more proper way. The â€Å"Five Blocks† theory can be summarized as women can’t achieve enlightenment because women are weak, jealous, annoying, desiring and having more affairs in the world. This theory makes women inferior to men for a long time. â€Å"Accordingly women are seen as a weaker sex, cannot make a decision on their own, and they are dependent beings. As commodity, they must be taken care of by their†¦show more content†¦Chinese women formed their own Bhikkhuni group, only for and controlled by women. Emperor Wuzetian even made use of Buddhism to help her being the first and only female emperor in Chinese history. (Lin, 1193) The change in Buddhism significantly helps women: women are no longer appendants, burden of family or bearing tools; women have more freedom than before; women start to have their own power and right. However, rather than saying Buddhism recognized women, I would prefer to say Buddhism recognized â€Å"Equality†. Buddha considers everything in the world are equal, then men and women are equal; Buddha considers men and women have the equal responsibility in the family, then women act as wife more than bearing tools; Buddha considers men and women are equally useful to society, then women can have more right and power than before. Buddha gave women an opportunity to change their life; women themselves grasped the chance and finally get the respect they deserved. Bibliography Buddhanet. 2008. Questions and Answers. Women in Buddhism. [Online] 2008. [Cited:2 ,17 ,2010.] http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/wbq22.htm. Buddhanet. 2008. 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